Packaging insert for collars



June 10, 1969 M. s. STRASSER, JR" ETAL 3,448,901

PACKAGING INSERT FOR COLLARS Filed Dec. 29, 1967 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR M74011! 6- STPASSE/P, d4.

BY AZ, J 5... W *M ATTORNEYS June 10,-1969 M; SQSITRASSER. JR... A 3,

PACKAGING INSERT FOR COLLARS Filed Dec. 29, 1967 v Sheet '2 of 2 INVENTCR M7304 557191955411 (/3. SAMUEL '4. SIP/1555f ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 223-83 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A garment collar insert for use in article packaging that is configured substantially to that of a collar thereby to be received and retained between the collar and garment front. The insert being formed from a unitary blank of material which is sufiiciently rigid when folded to prevent collar deformation when the article is packaged together with other similar articles.

Background of the invention Present day packaging techniques, particularly those used in the packaging of shirts and other similar garments, are not without their disadvantages. One such disadvantage is with regard to collar deformation resulting from multiple packaging of similar articles. This condition, as may be obvious, develops in the article affected lack of commercial appeal and saleability.

In an attempt to obviate undesirable results obtained through packaging, garment manufacturers have developed and employed various means which areattached to or received by the collar, as well as within the collar, to maintain its stability when subjected to deformation forces. Generally, and to name a few, these may be recognized as being an insert of cardboard or the equivalent and tissue paper that is received within the garment neck opening, a length of celluloid in the region of the top garment button to support the region, and a strip of cardboard material around the collar periphery.

While the foregoing structures have been used in the packaging industry, both past and present, they provide in varying degrees limited support for the garment collar portion but do not provide any desired perdetermined collar configuration.

Summary of the invention Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a collar insert which is readily received and substantially immovably supported by the garment collar intermediate the collar and the garment front thereby to prevent garment collar deformation upon packaging.

A further object is to provide an insert which may be formed from a unitary blank of material which has been provided with complementary curved score lines or lines of weakness so that upon folding the blank, the insert provides a section which is substantially normal to the garment thereby to maintain that portion of the collar raised. Also, the blank, when folded to form the insert, may be provided with at least a curved score line so as to form any desired predetermined collar configuration.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will readily become apparent as the present disclosure continues.

In carrying out these objects and in a broad sense the invention is directed to a collar insert for use in packaging shirts to maintain their collars in a substantially undeformed state. The insert is in the form of a unitary generally oval blank of material provided within its central region with at least one continuous curved score line about 3,448,901 Patented June 10, 1969 which the blank may be folded so that the opposed walls and connecting wall define a raised region Which tapers together thereby to simulate a garment collar configurart-ion and, when substantially concealed beneath the collar, maintains this configuration. Means for substantially immovably supporting the insert in the received position may be provided within the region of the insert tapered end.

Brief description of the drawings The accompanying drawings illustrate and form a part of the present invention. By these drawings:

FIGURE 1 represents a unitary blank of material which is formed into a collar insert;

FIGURE 2 illustrates, in perspective, the blank of FIG. 1 in the folded condition;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the manner by which the blank is folded and the insert is retained intermediate the collar and shirt front for supporting the former;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 yet showing both sides of the collar being supported;

FIGURE 5 is a view in cross-section as seen along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIGURE 6 represents a unitary blank, as in FIG. '1, yet modified to provide a pair of extensions which aid in supporting the collar periphery and immobilizing the collar insert; and

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 with the shirt collar being supported by the insert of FIG. 6.

Brief description of the preferred embodiment The insert for maintaining a shirt garment collar in an undeformed condition during packaging and handling is represented by the numeral 10 in FIG. 2. As is most apparent from FIG. 1, the insert 10 is formed from a unitary blank 20 of material which is uniquely folded, as will be more fully discussed, thereby to provide in the finished insert a pair of spaced apart walls, connected by a curved teardrop shaped wall, that taper together Within a region which is provided with means whereby the insert may be removably fastened to the shirt collar.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 the insert 10 may be seen in its removably mounted orientation between the collar 12 and front portion 14 of a standard or conventional shirt garment 16. As may also be seen in these figures the insert 10 is supported in the mounted orientation by collar buttons 18 so that the spaced apart insert walls are disposed in the vicinity of the collar 12 junction with the garment front 14. In this manner the insert which, when folded, simulates in overall construction the configuration of the shirt collar maintains the same in an undeformed condition.

The blank 20 may be constructed of any material which is capable of receiving lines of weakness or score lines 22 and 24 thereby to be folded about these lines and provide, when the blank is folded, a relatively rigid collar insert. Thus, the blank may be constructed of cardboard, paperboard or of a semi-rigid material such as a plastic film or celluloid. Practice has indicated that anyone of the foregoing materials may be advantageously employed as an lnsert.

However, if the stock is of paper the thickness, for proper application of the lines of weakening or score lines and subsequent folding about the same, should be Within a range up to 60 mils; the range of from 10-25 mils being preferred. Similarly, if the stock is of plastic, the thickness should be in the range of from 3-35 mils; the range of from 5-8 mils being preferred.

The lines 22 and 24 may be provided in asingle or multiple operation, i.e., as one continuous cut or a plurality of cuts, and are provided in the blank 20 by any of the conventional techniques and by any one of the several machines as are well known for this purpose. Thus, the lines may be produced by a die cutting head of either crease score, cut score or perforating rule to define a line or lines with intermittent cuts.

The score lines 22 and 24 are curved in contour and define a pair of side walls 26 and 28 interconnected by a teardrop shaped wall portion 30. According to the path of lines 22 and 24 the blank may be folded in a manner whereby walls 26 and 28 are juxtaposed and by means of the connecting section 30 the insert assumes a form which is substantially equivalent to the desired configuration of collar 12 of shirt 16. This configuration and the raised effect is developed by the curved lines and the portion 30 which, after folding, is generally normal to walls 26 and 28. This configuration, additionally, provides necessary rigidity in the insert to oppose deformation forces in the direction toward the taper and normal to the walls 26 and 28. A slit, not shown, may be formed in each of the walls 26 and 28 so as to provide a locking means to hold the insert in the assembled position as shown in FIG. 2. It is apparent that any suitable means for coupling Walls 26 and 28 may be employed as the locking means.

A pair of cut-out portions 32 and 34 are provided in the blank in the region of the intersection of lines 22 and 24. The cut-outs are disposed on opposite sides of the intersection which, as is apparent in FIG. 2, takes the form of a cut slit 36 providing ease in folding. When folding the blank (see direction arrow 38 in FIG. 3) the pair of cut-outs provide a notch 40 Which receives the thread 42 (FIG. 5) connecting button 18 to the shirt front 14. Thus, the tapered portion of the insert is substantially immovably mounted thereby to immobilize the upper collar due to the raised spaced apart wall 26 and 28 from both forces as previously discussed.

FIG. 6 shows a modified form of the invention. In this connection the blank form of FIG. 1 is provided with a pair of extensions 44 and 46 which follow the collar periphery when the insert formed from blank 20 is positioned, as in FIG. 7. As in FIG. 4 a pair of the modified inserts are received by the collar for supporting the same.

For universal applicability and to prevent any bunching of the extensions in the nape portion of collar 12, the extensions are provided with a plurality of tear lines 48. Thus, portions of each extension, determined by shirt size, may be removed. It is obvious that the tear lines may be employed to form a locking means to interconnect the extensions of one insert with the other.

It should be apparent that only one extension, for ex ample, extension 44, need be used and in this manner blank stock may be conserved.

Returning to FIG. 7, it should also be apparent that while a pair of inserts, joining at the line 50, are shown the invention also contemplates that the insert of FIG. 7 may be formed from a unitary blank. It is also contemplated that in forming the insert of the invention herein, a continuous curved score line may be employed wherein the wall portion 30 formed thereby may provide tapered portions at either end of the insert such that the cut away portion or notch 31 may be substantially eliminated. However, wall portion 30 of insert 10 will remain substantially normal to walls 26 and 28.

While the foregoing description has been directed to a preferred form of the invention, it is apparent that various modifications and changes in design and materials may be made in the configuration of the unitary blank for use as a packaging insert for collars within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A collar insert formed from a unitary blank of material adapted for use in packaging a garment, said blank in the central region being provided with at least one continuous curved score line of weakness which borders and defines a pair of side walls and a center connecting wall, said blank being adapted to be folded along said line of weakness thereby to form an insert having spaced apart side walls at the insert top, which Walls taper together at the bottom, and means for removably mounting the same under said garment collar and intermediate the front whereby the insert maintains the garment collar formation.

2. The insert of claim 1 wherein the curved score line is a pair of complementary curved lines of weakness.

3. The insert of claim 2 wherein said center connecting wall throughout its length is substantailly normal to said side walls thereby causing the latter to taper according to the geometry of the interconnected complementary curved lines of weakness.

4. The insert of claim 2 wherein the pair of curved lines of Weakness are symmetrical.

5. The insert of claim 1 wherein said center connecting wall is of a teardrop configuration.

6. The insert of claim 1 wherein said means for removably mounting said insert is a notch formed at said insert bottom, said notch being received by a collar button when said insert is removably positioned behind said collar.

7. The insert of claim 1 wherein at least one side wall is provided with an integral extension to be received around the collar periphery.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/ 1955 Deparday 223-83 1/1963 Macrides 22384 

